Carbon lamp



March 21, 1939. H T SCHlFF 2,150,990

CARBON LAMP Filed DeC. 19, 1958 Maly.

Patented Mar. 21, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

My invention relates to a holding means for readily receiving the carbon elements of a carbon lamp and contact means for the carbon elements.

Among the objects of my invention is to provide clamping members for holding the carbon elements so positioned at the front of the lamp that the carbon elements may be directly placed within the clamping elements; to create a carbon lamp having the upper clamping member vertically movable and releasable by contact with a wedge member so as to permit the carbon elements held by said upper clamping member to fall by gravity to form a contact with the carbon element held in the stationary lower clamping member, and such other objects, advantages and capabilities as will later more fully appear and which are inherently possessed by my invention.

While I have shown in the accompanying drawing preferred embodiments of my invention, yet I wish it understood that the same are susceptible of modification and change without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Referring to the drawing, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the carbon lamp; Fig. 2 is a detail front elevation of the preferred embodiment of my invention on line 2-2 of Fig. l and Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the same; Fig. 4 is a sectional view on line 4-4 of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view of my upper clamping member drawn on line 5-5 of Fig. 4 and Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail sectional View of my xed member having a wedge projection.

The embodiment selected to illustrate my invention comprises a carbon lamp I0 having the usual casing II and connections I2 leading to an electrical source of supply. Insulation member I3 has attached thereto adjacent its lower face portion a stationary clamping member I4 composed of a pair of oppositely disposed arms I5 ending in a pair of oppositely facing cupped hand portions I6. The arms I5 at their lower ends are bent outwardly at substantially right angles to form bases I'I. 'Ihese bases I1 lie against the insulation member I3 and are attached thereto and to a back plate member I8 on the back side or rear portion of the insulation member I3 by suitable means such as rivets or the like.

The hands I 6 of the lower clamping member I4 are adapted to be spread apart by force to receive a carbon element I9. Upon reception of the carbon element I9 and the release of force, the inherent resiliency of the arms I5 of the clamping member holds the carbon element I9 in fixed position.

The upper clamping member 20 has a pair of oppositely disposed arms 2I ending in a pair of cupped oppositely facing hands 22 adapted to be spread apart by force to receive a carbon element 23. Upon receipt of the carbon element 23 and V5 the release of force, the inherent resiliency of the arms 2l holds the carbon element 23 in fixed position. Attached to the arms 2| on either side and adjacent the rear thereof, by suitable means K such as rivets, are supports 24 which at their for- 10 ward ends are bent to be attached by rivets or the like to bracket 25 positioned on the rear portion of the insulation member I 3. Said bracket 25 has a iiat body portion and a pair of oppositely disposed upwardly curved ends or stops 26. 15 Said bracket 25 also has a hollow central aperture 2 to permit the passage therethrough of arms 2! of the upper clamping member 20. The arms 2l also pass through aperture 28 in the insulation member I3. The bracket 25 is slid- 20 ably attached to the rear portion of the insulation member I3 by bolts 29 passing through spaced apertures 30 and held therein by nuts 3l. The upper clamping member 20 is vertically adjustable. 25

A xed member 32 is attached to the front face of the insulation member I3 below and adjacent aperture 28. Said xed member 32 has a pair of opposite supporting portions 33 attached to the face of the insulation member I3 by suit- 30 able means such as rivets or the like. Said iixed member 32 is bent upwardly and inwardly to form a central portion 34 which is cut away to form a wedge projection 35. Upon the exertion of downward pressure on a handle 39 downward pressure 35 is applied on the upper clamping member 20 so that the upper clamping member is moved downwardly until the wedge projection 35 enters the lips or flanges 36 on the arms 2|. This wedge projection 35 slightly separates the arms 2| so as to loosen the grip of the hands 22 on carbon element 23 held therein and permit said carbon element to drop until it hits and forms a contact with the lower carbon element I9 held by the lower clamping member I4. 45

On the rear portion of the insulation member I3 a resilient member 31 is held between two posts 38 so that it contacts the bottom upturned end 26 of the bracket 25. When pressure is released on handle 39 the resilient member 31 by its spring action pulls the bracket 25 and the upper clamping member 20 upwardly so that the carbon elements I9 and 23 are automatically spaced for a proper gap to form an arc.

My lamp casing Il has an open front so that the carbon elements I9 and 23 may be directly placed within the clamping members I4 and 20 without the necessity of threading them through any narrow openings in the lamp casing.

My insulation member I3 may beattached to the casing II in any suitable manner such as screws, grooves or any other means. Placed in front of the insulation member I3 is the usual reflector 40 having apertures to permit the passage therethrough of the clamping elements I4, and 20.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a carbon lamp, an insulation member, a fixed carbon clamping member attached to said insulation member, a movable carbon clamping member separate and spaced from said xed carbon clamping member, said movable" carbon clamping member movably attached to said insulation member,V a. i'lxedmember attached to said insulation member adjacent said movable carbon clamping member, saidvxed member having aY wedge projection, said movable carbon clamping membermovable upon pressure thereon to contact said wedge projection so that said wedge projection spreads the holding portions of said movable carbon clamping member, and a resilient memberv attached to said insulation member and contacting said Y movable carbon clamping `member` and moving the same away from said wedge Yprojection upon release of pressure on said movable carbon clamping member.

' 2.4 In a'carbon lamp, an insulation member, a lower fixed carbon `clamping member attached to said insulation member, anupper movable carbon clamping member separate and spaced from said fixed carbon clamping member, said movable car bon clamping'member slidably attached to said insulation member, Aa xed member'attached to said insulation member 4adjacent the lower end 'of said upper movable carbon clamping member,

said xed member having a wedge projection, said upper movable carbon clamping member slidable downwardly upon pressure thereon to contact said wedge projection so'that said wedge projection spreads the holding portions of said upper movable carbon clamping member, and a resilient member attached to said insulation member and contacting said upper movable carbon clamping member and moving the same upwardly from said wedge projection upon release of pressure on said upper movable carbon clamping member.

3. In a carbon lamp an insulation member, a lower stationary clamping member attached to the lower front face of said insulation member, a bracket slidably attached to the upper rear surface of said insulation member, an upper clamping member attached to said bracket and extending through an aperture in the insulation member to the face thereof, each of said clampi. ing members having a pair of resilient arms ending a'pair of oppositely disposedcuppedhands, said arms and hands spreadable force to receive a carbon element, said resilient arms upon release of force on the hands' having resilience to return the'hands to normal position to hold the inserted carbon element, a fixed member having a wedge projection attached Ato the'face o`f said insulation member adjacent the aperture, said bracket and upper clamping member vslizriztble downwardly upon pressure thereon to contact said L bracket and moving saidbracket andrsaid upper clamping member upwardly from said wedge projection upon release of pressure on said bracket.

HENRY T. SCHIFF. 

